MIDLAND, Texas, July 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid Association (CAA) learned that from July 10-14, a total of 15 house church leaders were detained in Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu and Anhui province. A Vacation Bible School (VBS) for 150 children was attacked and 2 teachers were beaten and hospitalized.

Photo: letter to CAA by attacked house church in Jiangsu province

4 House church Leaders in Inner Mongolia DetainedAccording to eyewitness reports, on July 14, four leaders were taken away and detained from the home of Pastor FU Pengtu at Wuda District, Wuhai city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. At 11:30 am, 4 military police from PSB of Wuhai City rushed to Pastor FU’s house without providing any legal papers and arrested Pastor FU’s wife GAO Chinxia (31-year-old), sister XIE Yanan, Pastor LIU Yukang, and sister CHEN Binghui. Among them, sister XIE and CHEN are house church missionaries from Pingdingshan city, Henan province.

Vacation Bible School for 150 Children Attacked in Jiangsu ProvinceCAA also learned that at 4 pm on July 11, Zhongzhuang House Church in Jianhu City, Jiangsu Province, suffered persecution. According to eyewitness reports, while the church was conducting a VBS named "Harmony Express," the county government, the Public Security Bureau (PSB), and the Committee of Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), along with policemen, sent 10 vehicles. They took away 8 people from the church, including the pastor of the church and teachers for the VBS. In assaulting the church members, they resorted to brute force and injured 2 of the church workers. One of them, brother WANG Ya, is still going through emergency treatment in a hospital after he lost consciousness for half an hour. Another brother has had 3 stitches. The 2 brothers who were hospitalized were so beaten that blood came out from their mouths. A total of 10 people were taken away by the PSB, including the church leader Pastor ZENG Zhengliang. Church property, including a video camera, a computer and movie camera, were taken by force without receipts. The 150 children were traumatized and they asked to leave the school. Pastor ZENG used to be a respected pastor in the local TSPM church, but last year he was forced to leave the TSPM because he didn't agree with the TSPM's liberal, government-dictated theology. After being forced to leave the TSPM church, Pastor Zeng planted a house church.

A House Church Leader in Anhui DetainedMeanwhile, on July 10, the PSB of Mingguang county, Anhui province, detained a local house church leader. Pastor LU Jingxiang was taken away from his house at Qiaotou town, Mingguang county. The PSB didn't provide any legal paper for the arrest and claimed that pastor LU was involved "illegal religious activities."

"We urge President Bush and other administration officials to speak more forcefully on the deteriorating situation of religious persecution in China." CAA also urges the Chinese government to immediately release these arrested pastors.